Chip On Your Shoulder
by PhoenixRisingOnTheMoon
Summary: "Congratulations to all of you for making it into this revival of the famed Legally Blonde," Archie Hopper said to the cast that was gathered around a table with fresh scripts in their hands. "I know this is going to be a fantastic production. We're really going to show the whole world how revivals should be done." [in which Emma and Regina are cast as love interests on Broadway]


A/N: Special thanks to my fellow theatre major Jill for her assistance. Cast list is at the end.

* * *

Emma couldn't keep the grin off of her face as she read the cast list. Her years and years of hard work finally paid off. She had the lead.

A Broadway lead.

 _Emma Swan as Elle Woods_.

She didn't think it was possible, but her smile got wider as she continued to look at it.

Emma finally took her eyes away from her name and started to browse through the rest of the cast list to see if she could find any familiar names.

She didn't have to look far.

 _Regina Mills as Emmett Forrest._

Emma's mouth dropped slightly. She was going to be playing opposite the gorgeous Tony Award winner. She was going to be playing the _love interest_ of her.

At that moment Emma considered herself the luckiest woman in the world.

—

"Congratulations to all of you for making it into this revival of the famed _Legally Blonde_ ," the director, Archie Hopper, said to the cast that was gathered around a table with fresh scripts in their hands. "I know this is going to be a fantastic production. We're really going to show the whole world how revivals should be done."

Emma looked around the room, spotting the familiar faces of Killian Jones, the winner for Best Supporting Actor two years ago for his role in _Finding Neverland_ , and Tessa "Tink" Bell, the winner for Best Supporting Actress from the same year and the same show.

"As you may have noticed from the cast list, we have a little twist in our show," Archie continued. "Emmett Forrest will be changed to a female. We are keeping the same name, but all gender pronouns need to be switched, so the first thing I'd like you all to do before our read-through is go through your scenes and mark in the changes."

Emma looked over at Regina, who was sitting primly next to her with her script open, already marking in the necessary changes. Emma opened up hers and did as Archie said, scoping out what was going to happen.

"Everyone ready?" Archie asked. "Let's start the read through."

Emma sat forward and glued her eyes to her script as the stage manager started to read.

"Act 1, Scene 1. The curtain rises on a multi-level sorority house…"

—

Emma grabbed her water bottle and gulped some of it down as they finally got a break. They were currently learning the dance moves to "Omigod You Guys" and she was beyond exhausted thanks to the their choreographer, Esmerelda.

"You are lucky, lucky girl," a voice from behind Emma said.

Emma turned and saw one of the girls playing her greek chorus sorority sisters. "Aurora, right?" The girl, Aurora, nodded. "Why would you say that?" Emma asked.

Another one of the sisters, Ashley, came up to them and snorted. "Why wouldn't she say that? Have you seen Killian Jones? Do you realize who you get to kiss in the beginning of this show?"

"I'd be more excited for who she gets to kiss at the _end_ of the show," the redheaded Greek sister, Merida, said with a smirk.

Emma felt her face start to redden as she thought about the kiss she would have to share with Regina, and the girls all laughed. "Seems like you're pretty excited, too," Merida said.

"Shut up," Emma said softly, but she felt the smile on her face anyway. She wasn't ashamed of her sexuality, and she wouldn't let them make her feel shamed, either.

"Don't worry," the fourth greek sister (Kathryn?) said. "She won't say it to your face, or probably ever, knowing her, but she's pretty excited, too."

Emma controlled the smile on her face, but inside she felt her whole body lighten up at the idea that someone as beautiful and successful as Regina Mills would be excited about kissing her.

—

"Everyone set for a run through of the song?" Archie asked, looking around at the cast and crew gathered nearby. "Good, let's go from the top—" He was stopped by one of the crew members coming up to him. "Just kidding, let's take a ten minute break— Emma, Tiana has your bunny outfit finished up for you. Why don't you go get that on and we'll rehearse working in that, along with the costume change in the middle."

Emma nodded and went to the costume shop, putting on her outfit and heading back to the stage. Regina was facing away when she went to her entrance spot on stage left in the wings.

"Alright, whenever you guys are ready," Archie said.

Regina sat down, taking her place on the bench with her legs crossed and her hands folded on top.

The music started up and Emma walked hurriedly up to the bench, sitting down in a humph.

Emma could feel Regina's eyes staring at her as she seemed to take a little extra time to say her line. "Whoa, Elle," she finally said, her eyes roaming Emma's bunny-suit-clad body. "What's up… doc?"

Emma looked up and connected eyes with Regina, noticing how they seemed to be a tad darker. " _Love_."

"Excuse me?" Regina asked, finally getting fully into character as she looked up at Emma.

Emma continued on, feeling herself getting almost smug knowing the effect that the bunny suit had on Regina.

They continued through the song, and Emma felt her confidence soaring despite the rather scandalous outfit. She breezed through the costume change when the two characters headed back to the dorm room.

Then came the moment when Emmett shows up with a Christmas present while Elle and Paulette are studying in her dorm room.

"For you," Regina said, handing Emma the holiday bag. "Not as good as going home for Christmas, but…"

Emma smiled. "You are too sweet." She started pulling out the gift.

"It's a real timesaver," Regina said, stepping a little closer. Shampoo and conditioner in one."

Emma grimaced at first, but smiled anyway.

Ruby, playing the forgotten Paulette who was still sitting on Elle's bed, stood up. "Hair care? I love this girl!" She started walking towards the door, pointedly looking at Emma. "So I'll just leave you two alone then… bye bye." She exited with a wave and a flashing smile.

"Thank you," Emma said to Regina, taking a step closer. "You are too adorable to think of me." She stepped forward, going in for the hug they had practiced.

This time, though, she stood up on her toes and kissed Regina on the cheek just as Killian was entering.

"Elle," he said in character.

Emma sprang backward from Regina, just as she knew her character would, and was pleased to see a slight blush spreading on the older woman's face.

Killian continued with the scene as if he hadn't noticed anything. "Hey, have you seen Viv?"

—

Rehearsals continued smoothly, and Emma felt she was definitely proving herself as worthy for the role.

She was still excited every time she saw her name mentioned in an article in _The New York Times_ about upcoming attractions.

"Two weeks from opening night!" Ashley squealed nearby. "Are you super excited, Emma?"

Emma nodded. "Yeah, I'm excited. Really fucking nervous, too, though."

Merida lightly punched her arm. "You're gonna do great."

"Thanks, Mer," Emma said with a smile. She noticed Regina was sitting by herself on the other in another corner of the green room. "I'll be right back." She grabbed a clementine and a water and walked over to the brunette, sitting down next to her. "Hey, Regina."

Regina gave her a polite smile. "Hello."

"Clementine?" Emma asked, holding it out to her. "I haven't seen you eat anything today, and I know how grueling the second act gets…"

"Yes, it does," Regina said as she took the clementine from Emma's hands. "Thank you."

Emma leaned back in the chair. "Excited for the premiere of your favorite show?"

Regina raised an eyebrow. "My favorite show? How presumptuous of you."

"C'mon, Regina, this is totally your favorite show," Emma said with a laugh. "You have me as a costar." She gestured towards her body. "What more could you want?" She opened up her water and started drinking it.

"Indeed," Regina replied with a smirk as her eyes purposefully drifted down. "What more could I want?"

Emma choked on her water.

—

After that conversation, Emma started to noticed a change in Regina's attitude. It was subtle, enough that others wouldn't see it as much, but Emma noticed.

First, it was little things, like stepping in closer during their scenes, or acting a little more flirtatious.

Then it stared to became not-so-little, not-so-subtle things. During "So Much Better," when Emma says " _Pinch me now and make sure_ …" Regina would pinch Emma's arm. Today when they had rehearsed, she had pinched Emma's butt, causing the yelp she makes after to be completely real. Archie had been thrilled by how realistic it sounded. Regina sent her a knowing smirk.

If it was a challenge Regina wanted, then a challenge she would get.

—

Their game continued. Emma kept the cheek kiss after Emmett gave Elle the Christmas gift, and she started to make it linger a little longer, adding in a hand that skirted dangerously close to Regina's butt.

The grand finale to their little game was opening night. They sang, they danced, hearts were broken, and new love was formed in two hours of theatricality. They received a standing ovation at the end, and Emma was beyond ecstatic as the final curtain closed.

"Did you see them all standing for us?"

"I heard Bernadette Peters was in the audience!"

"They're already raving about us to journalists!"

Emma's smile started to feel like it was about to split her face. She noticed Regina standing in the same spot she had stood for curtain call. Their eyes connected and Emma saw that same look in her eyes. She jogged/skipped over to her.

"Hello," Regina greeted, as perfectly poised as ever. "I must say you did an excellent—"

Emma surged forward and interrupted her, placing her mouth on the brunette's. She didn't expect Regina to respond, but all of a sudden she felt the other woman's tongue sliding across her lips. It was then that Emma pulled back, staring at Regina.

The woman was flushed, but her eyes were dancing with mischief. "Are you really going to stop now, Miss Swan?"

Emma shook her head with a smile, diving in for another kiss.

—

They were the latest fad in celebrity gossip. Two women playing love interests on a Broadway stage. Even Ellen DeGeneres had invited them to her show.

While Archie was nervous about what this would do to the show, they proved their professionalism by playing it right every night.

Emma plopped down on the green room couch next to her girlfriend. Regina looked up from the magazine in her hands and held it up to show Emma the cover. "I heard you're cheating on me with the guy playing Pippin."

"Oh really?" Emma asked, looking at the cover of the tabloid. "Shit, I didn't know." She pulled out her own tabloid from her bag. "I heard we got into a huge fight about how you wanted kids and I wasn't ready to commit," she said as she showed Regina the magazine.

Regina didn't smile like Emma expected. "Oh."

Emma shoved the magazine back in her bag and shifted so she was facing Regina. "I'm fully committed to you, Regina," she said as she gently took Regina's hands in her own. "I'm not leaving anytime soon."

Regina gave a small smile. "Good."

—

Finally, after over a year of playing the roles of Elle and Emmett, their final show came up. Both had decided they would leave on the same night together, and while they were both excited to move on to new opportunities, they were bittersweet about leaving the show that had brought them together.

Little did Regina know, Emma had a surprise up her sleeve. An addition to the game they had started to play when the show started.

It was the final scene. Emma was standing at a podium, pretending to give a valedictorian speech while Paulette went on about where everyone was.

" _Oops, sorry, back to Elle_ ," Ruby sang, sitting back down in her spot.

Emma smiled, feeling the lights brighten on her. " _I thank you one and all. The ones who thought I'd fall, who taught me how to fail… who helped me to prevail_." The lights changed as she stepped downstage. " _I'm standing here today…. 'cause you helped me find my way_."

She nervously looked out at the audience. " _Oh, and… if you could give me one second before we all go…_ " She turned to Regina, bending down on one knee and pulling out the oversized ring box, as she had been for years.

The difference? This time she added in a note on the box with a simple "For real?" written on it.

" _Emmett Forrest please make me the happiest woman I know_ ," Emma sang, looking directly in Regina's eyes.

Regina for once looked stunned. She didn't sing the lines that came directly after that as a hand flew up to her mouth. Emma nodded encouragingly, which caused Regina to smile and nod as the ensemble started to sing. Emma bolted up, pulling Regina into her arms and kissing her, pouring all of the emotion she felt into the kiss, feeling Regina respond equally.

They finally pulled apart, both teary-eyed but happy beyond belief, quickly settling back into the roles of Emmett and Elle as they sang their final lines, their eyes locked the entire time.

" _And now I found my love. I found my way to love…_ "

* * *

Cast list (main characters only)

Emma as Elle

Regina as Emmett

Hook as Warner

Belle as Vivienne

Gold as Callahan

Ruby as Paulette

Tink as Brooke

Graham as Kyle

Ashley as Margot

Merida as Serena

Aurora as Pilar

Kathryn as Kate


End file.
